The Tramlines Festival is an annual music festival held in Sheffield, UK. The festival was originally free to attend, but now requires tickets. The line-up consists of national and local artists. The festival was curated and organised by a panel comprising local venue owners, promoters and volunteers. The name of the festival is inspired by the city's tram network. Tramlines held its first festival in 2009, which attracted 35,000 fans and was seen as a huge success, and 2010's event doubled that figure. The success of Tramlines Festival 2011 led to the event winning 'Best Metropolitan Festival' at the UK Festival Awards. Superstruct Entertainment, the live entertainment platform backed by Providence Equity Partners, owns the festival after it entered definitive agreement for the acquisition of several live music and entertainment festivals from Global Media & Entertainment and Broadwick Live.
Venues
The festival took place at over 70 venues and four main stages in the city centre, including Devonshire Green, The Leadmill, The Viper Rooms, The Fat Cat, O2 Academy Sheffield, Barkers Pool, The University of Sheffield, The Harley, The Bowery, the Peace Gardens, Yellow Arch and the main stage at Ponderosa Park with a capacity of 8,000 until 2017. In January 2018 it was announced that the festival would be moving out of the city centre to a new venue in Hillsborough Park, Sheffield, and would consist of four stages including a main stage. The new venue would allow the capacity at the main stage to be around 40,000, with the capacity reduced to 30,000 for the 2019 event.
Festivals
2009
Tramlines held its first festival in 2009. Notable artists such as Rolo Tomassi, Just Jack, Toddla T, Pixie Lott, Little Boots, Example, The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, The XX and Reverend and The Makers, who headlined, played at the festival. The festival was a huge success, attracting 35,000 fans. The organizers, as well as councillors and Sheffielders, praised the festival. The festivals popularity, along with positive reviews, led to the 2010 event being announced. The festival-goers had to queue to get wristbands, which gave them access to the different stages.
2009's festival recycled 400 litres of paper, 2080 litres of plastic and 560 litres of aluminium in the outdoor venues alone. This led to an environmental campaign in 2010 in which the festival seeks to reduce its environmental impact.
2010
Tramlines Festival 2010 was held from 23 to 25 July. 250 artists performed, and several venues were added, including Sheffield University's Octagon Centre, Tudor Square, The Leadmill, O2 Academy Sheffield, Winter Gardens and the main stage at Devonshire Green increased in capacity from 5,000 to 8,000. Headliners were Echo and the Bunnymen, Mystery Jets, Simian Mobile Disco DJ set, Professor Green, Tinchy Stryder, Future of the Left, Darwin Deez, Macka B, The King Blues, The Hoosiers, Craig David, Dum Dum Girls, Annie Mac and Toddla T.
The festival remained free, and the wristband system was scrapped, replaced with a first-come-first-served turnstile system. The festival attracted 65,000 people. New events at the 2010 festival included a Youth Music Festival, Blues trail and a Ceilidh.
The festival also focused on reducing its environmental impact in 2010. This pledge included a solar powered headphone disco on Devonshire Green, major recycling areas at all of the outdoor stages, and cheap accommodation via Unite.
2011
Tramlines 2011 took place from 22 to 24 July, with an estimated 175,000 revellers in attendance. Over 70 venues took part, with four main stages and at least 200 live acts. Headliners and other notable acts included Ash, Olly Murs, Pixie Lott, The Futureheads, Heaven 17, Dananananaykroyd, David Rodigan, Dry The River, Michael Prophet, Frankie & The Heartstrings, Los Campesinos!, Rolo Tomassi, Dead Sons, Skint & Demoralised, The Crookes and Toddla T. New additions were made to the festival, including 'The Folk Forest', a folk music event taking place in Endcliffe Park, 1.5 miles from the city centre.
2012
Tramlines 2012 took place on Friday 20 July to Sunday 22 July. Headliners included Reverend & The Makers, Roots Manuva and We Are Scientists, with Spector, Ms Dynamite, Mr Scruff, Julio Bashmore, Toddla T, Koreless, Ifan Daffyd, Clock Opera and Dead Sons also playing over the weekend, amongst others. Weston Park hosted a stage for the first time in the festival's history.
2013
Tramlines 2013, took place from Friday 19th to Sunday 21 July. For the first time in the history of the festival, an entry fee was charged at £6 per day, though the event retained a large free fringe element.